Hey guys, this is Aaron.
Today we're going to take a look at our buddy, the Measurements Box.
The Measurements Box is that little box down in the lower right corner of the status bar
or you can turn it on and have it float around in a window if you're on a Windows machine,
or nest it into a toolbar.
The Measurements Box used to be called the VCB.
So sometimes you'll hear those SketchUp old timers talk about the "Value Control Box."
That is now what we refer to as the Measurements Box.
Now, a couple things about the Measurements Box.
One is that it changes its name.
So if you go into different commands it'll actually change what its called.
This is important because it't not going to always call itself the Measurements Box.
If you go into a line it's going to say Length.
If I go into rotate it'll come up and say Angle.
This is going to change based on what command you are in.
The other thing is that if I want to use the Measurements Box, say in this case if I want
to draw a length in, what I don't want to do is click in here.
At any point that I want to type something in I just start typing.
As long as you're in the screen it knows that typing should go to the Measurements Box.
If you're in a command that accepts a measurements entry you just have to start typing, don't
click into the field.
The other thing that's nice about the Measurements Box is it will allow you to change values
as you go.
So right now I can see as I move my mouse I'm getting feet and inches showing up, but
if I wanted to I could actually put in "100mm" Enter, and it will enter that length.
Now, of course, if I go to check that length, it'll tell me the default units from my model.
Something else to keep in mind is when I do draw something, I'll draw a line that's one
foot long, I can right now change that.
Say I actually meant to put six inches, I can put "6"" and hit Enter.
As long as I don't go to a different command I can continue to type in new values.
This is not just for line, but this is for rectangles, polygons, moving things, any time
you type in a dimension you can type in a new measurement as long as you stay in that
command.
If I go into the Rectangle tool typing in a dimension for a rectangle is measurement
comma ( , ) measurement on U.S. keyboards.
Other keyboards will require you to use the semicolon ( ; ) to separate the two values,
but typing those two numbers in separated by that separator, the comma or the semicolon,
will allow you to put in dimensions for a rectangle.
The Measurements Box can also be used with the Polygon or Circle tool.
If I have that tool up I can type in the number of sides I want to use, hit Enter and it will
change like that.
Same goes for circles.
Circles, of course, are treated differently but I can change the number of sides I want
to have the circle rendered at when I draw.
Just by typing in the number of sides i want and hitting Enter.
If I take an entity and for example copy it using the modifier key Move, I can create
an array by typing in slash ( / ) number, or x number.
Again, that's using the Measurements Box by typing x number or slash number.
Another spot that the Measurements Box is used is in the field of view.
If you go into the Field of View command you can type in a different field of view and
hit Enter.
Again no need to click in the field or move anything, you can just start typing and hit
Enter to accept to change your field of view on the fly.
And finally, if I want to draw a line to a specific coordinate, I can type that into
the Measurements Box using the square bracket.
( [ & ] ) So if I want to draw a line back to the origin if I type "[0,0,0]" and hit
Enter, it'll take me back to the origin.
That's an overview of the Measurements Box.
Thank you!